Several rounds of heavy rain over much of the Ohio River Valley caused many rivers to rise above flood stage. May continued the active pattern begun in April.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.
Several rounds of heavy rain over much of the Ohio River Valley caused many rivers to rise above flood stage. May continued the active pattern begun in April. Several of these events produced very heavy rainfall. Rainfall was one to two inches above normal in most spots for the month.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 9, 5:55 AM CST, 6 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 655 AM CDT SAT MAY 9 2009 .UPDATE... UPDATED FOR 12Z AVIATION FORECAST DISCUSSION. && .DISCUSSION... ONGOING CONVECTION LOOKS TO AFFECT SRN/SERN COUNTIES THIS AM. NAM APPEARS TO BE MODELLING IT WELL ENOUGH...SO TAKING ITS SOLUTION GIVES A DRY LULL THIS PM AS THE BOUNDARY LAYS OUT...THEN WOBBLES BACK WITH POPS ACROSS OUR SOUTH AGAIN TONIGHT. THE MODELS HANG IT UP ON/ACROSS ESP OUR SOUTH W/SMALLISH POPS SAT NIGHT-SUN NIGHT. ON MONDAY A BUCKLE IN THE UPPER FLOW ALLOWS ENOUGH ENERGY TO MOVE THE BOUNDARY OFF FURTHER TO THE SOUTH...WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN DRIER AIR WORKING ACROSS THE FA MON-TUE. IT DOES APPEAR IT WILL BE SHORT-LIVED...HOWEVER...AS THE ZONAL FLOW PATTERN ALLOWS FOR A FAIRLY QUICK MID WEEK APPROACH OF ANOTHER SYSTEM. THIS MEANS POPS RETURNING BY TUE NIGHT AND LASTING THRU SYSTEM PASSAGE SOMETIME THURSDAY OR THURSDAY NIGHT...THE ECMWF/GFS OFFERING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TIMING AND WE CHOOSING TO TAKE THE MID GROUND APPROACH. FOLLOWING HPC GUIDANCE/COLLAB PIC...WED NIGHT APPEARS TO BE THE BEST CHC POP WITH THE WINDDOWN OCCURRING THU-THU NIGHT. PRETTY CLOSE TO CLIMO NORM TEMPS ARE EXPECTED THRU THE PERIOD...SAVE FOR MID WEEK NEXT WHEN SOME WARMING AHEAD OF THAT NEXT SYSTEM COULD PUSH TEMPS UP SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMS. && .AVIATION... VSBYS/CIGS MAY BE RESTRICTED TO MVFR OR IFR LEVELS EARLY THIS AM...MAINLY AT KEVV/KOWB. FRONTAL BOUNDARY KICKING OFF SCT SHRA AND ISOLD TSRA...SO MADE MENTION OF A VCSH AT KCGI/KPAH...BUT MAY NEED TO ADD THIS MENTION TO KEVV/OWB SOON LOOKING AT CURRENT RADAR PIC. WE SHOULD SEE A GENERAL IMPROVING TREND FOR CLOUDS/VSBYS BY LATE MORNING AS NORTHWEST WINDS BECOME PREVALENT BEHIND THE FRONT. MAY SEE SOME LIGHT FOG LATE IN THE PERIOD...MAINLY AT KCGI. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. MO...NONE. IL...NONE. IN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 355 AM CDT SAT MAY 9 2009 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-101000- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE- HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH- WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES- LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN- MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER- RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID- 355 AM CDT SAT MAY 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ACROSS MAINLY SOUTHERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHERN-MOST SOUTHEAST MISSOURI TONIGHT. HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARDOUS WEATHER THREATS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY STORMS. MANY AREA RIVERS WILL CONTINUE MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING. REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS FORECAST TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THE BEST CHANCE OF STORMS AT THIS TIME LOOKS TO BE WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WHEN LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINS WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARDOUS WEATHER THREATS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
840 AM CDT SAT MAY 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 NE HOPKINSVILLE 36.89N 87.45W
05/09/2009 M2.62 INCH CHRISTIAN KY TRAINED SPOTTER
RAINFALL TOTAL FROM 10 PM CDT ON MAY 8TH THROUGH 800 AM
CDT ON MAY 9TH. 24 HOUR TOTAL 3.40 INCHES SINCE 8 AM CDT
MAY 8TH.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 S HERNDON 36.65N 87.60W
05/09/2009 M3.82 INCH CHRISTIAN KY CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR TOTAL FROM 7 AM CDT MAY 8TH THROUGH 7 AM CDT MAY
9TH.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN CADIZ 36.87N 87.82W
05/09/2009 M3.77 INCH TRIGG KY CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL FROM 7 AM CDT MAY 8TH THROUGH 7 AM
CDT MAY 9TH.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN MAYFIELD 36.74N 88.65W
05/09/2009 M3.20 INCH GRAVES KY CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL FROM 7 AM CDT MAY 8TH THROUGH 7 AM
CDT MAY 9TH.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN COBB 37.02N 87.76W
05/09/2009 E1.89 INCH CALDWELL KY CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL FROM 7 AM CDT MAY 8TH THROUGH 7 AM
CDT MAY 9TH.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN DONIPHAN 36.62N 90.82W
05/09/2009 E5.03 INCH RIPLEY MO CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL FROM 7 AM CDT MAY 8TH THROUGH 7 AM
CDT MAY 9TH.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN AURORA 36.78N 88.14W
05/09/2009 E4.34 INCH MARSHALL KY CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL FROM 7 AM CDT MAY 8TH THROUGH 7 AM
CDT MAY 9TH.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 SW CADIZ 36.83N 87.87W
05/09/2009 M2.65 INCH TRIGG KY CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL FROM 7 AM CDT MAY 8TH THROUGH 7 AM
CDT MAY 9TH.
&&
SMITHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1139 AM CDT SAT MAY 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 AM DOWNBURST 1 N SMITHLAND 37.15N 88.40W
05/08/2009 LIVINGSTON KY NWS STORM SURVEY
AN 80 MPH MICROBURST PRODUCED A ONE HALF MILE WIDE PATH
OF DAMAGE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE IN LENGTH. ONE
POORLY TIED DOWN MOBILE HOME WAS MOVED SEVERAL FEET. TWO
METAL SHEDS WERE BLOWN DOWN. A NUMBER OF TREES WERE
EITHER SNAPPED IN TWO OR UPROOTED.
&&
SMITHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1147 AM CDT SAT MAY 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 NW NEW CONCORD 36.64N 88.12W
05/09/2009 E2.77 INCH CALLOWAY KY CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING AT 7 AM CDT.
&&
SMITHThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Minor flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Newburgh gage, where flood stage is 38 feet, the river crested at 41.90 feet on the 13th. Agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were flooded.
Minor flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Newburgh gage in Warrick County, where flood stage is 38 feet, the river crested at 41.90 feet on the 13th. Agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were flooded.
Minor flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Mount Vernon gage, where flood stage is 35 feet, the river crested at 40.5 feet on the 14th. Farmland and some main roads were flooded in places southwest and west of Mt. Vernon. Agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were flooded.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, May 2009
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 166068, 166069, 166070.